Русский
Over the past few years, the number of Russians who are afraid of scientific progress has increased. People in a survey by the Modern Media Institute (MOMRI) and the Nauka TV channel stated that they are most afraid of genetic engineering and cloning.
The survey was dedicated to the Day of Russian Science. The survey has been conducted since 2016.
According to the data, during these years the number of Russians who are openly afraid of discoveries in the field of genetics has increased. Two years ago, DNA interference and cloning of living beings, especially humans, were feared by 6% of people. By 2018, however, that percentage had risen to 12.
In first place are weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, biological). The development of science in this direction is feared by 14% of Russians, but their number, compared with 2016, decreased by 5%. Respondents are afraid that the invented new weapons will be used for military purposes.
People are also worried about the development of artificial intelligence, neural networks, computerization and the use of robots in everyday life. But this figure has remained unchanged since 2016 at 11%.
Experiments with the hadron collider are feared by 2% of the survey participants, and most often by men. This indicator also has not changed since 2016.
Space discoveries and contact with extraterrestrial civilizations are feared by 2% of Russians. Most of the participants in this group of respondents are elderly people.